Heart of the Jungle
by Dramatic Insanity
Summary: Due to his evasion of feelings, Julien unintentionally sends Clover on a bit of a wild goose chase. It does lead her back to the source of all the trouble, anyway.


**Heart of the Jungle**

"I know you love your kingdom, but I also know you love brand new adventures," Clover says when Julien climbs down the platform after seeing off the animals from New York. "I'm surprised you didn't go with them."

"Ah… You see Clover, I have a reason to stay which is a special someone. Who would not be leaving or wanting me to leave. Besides, I can have plenty of adventures here in my home… including being with them."

"Oh? Who is it? I'm afraid I haven't noticed…"

Julien dons a downcast expression and averts his gaze. He mumbles something about kingly duties and disappears. Avoidance - that suggests the person Julien was talking about does not love him in return. Clover will pummel whomever is responsible for breaking his heart - first, she has to find out who it is, how inconvenient.

After she shakes down Maurice he admits, "I have an idea, but I can't be sure. I wouldn't want to create drama for nothing."

"Are you kidding? I thought you were the smart one of the dunderhead trio! Leave me alone," Hector gripes and slams the door in her face.

Ted says, "Oh… he doesn't know that I know, but I promised to his majesty in spirit and to the Sky Gods that I wouldn't tell. That's up to him. A promise made by yours truly is a promise kept!"

"You'll never take me alive," Pancho proclaims when questioned.

"I just want to know who Julien has feelings for, you don't -"

"I ain't heard nothing! You can't prove it!" With that, he vanishes through the foliage. She can't be bothered to chase him down, if he's going to act like a lunatic.

She reluctantly goes to Timo next, since he's nearby. "You're fairly familiar with the inner workings of the kingdom. Do you have any idea with whom Julien would want to be romantically involved?"

Timo chuckles. "Isn't it obvious? Matters of the heart aren't my strong suit, but even I can smell it all over the -"

His invention promptly explodes before Clover can interrogate him further. He's busied by cleaning up the mess he made.

The kingdom continues to be utterly unhelpful with their increasingly strange and cryptic responses. Frustrated beyond belief, she heads to the throne room. She'll attempt to pry more information from the source.

Clover is surprised to find the plane abuzz with activity. Everyone is making claims of the various ways they've been tormented.

"She broke my ankle!" Willie scratches the back of his neck and elaborates, "Well it's merely sprained… and because I fell off a small cliff to get away from her… but still."

"She stole my kidneys!" Pancho places his hands on hips in challenge. "You can't prove that she didn't!"

"She made me pledge my firstborn child… Mama's sorry Todd! Forgive me!"

"She hid my genuine leather shoes in fossa territory."

"But Hector… you don't have or wear shoes," Ted points out.

"If I did, she'd hide them."

Clover cups her hands and yells, "What's going on in here?"

Everyone falls silent and stares at her. It feels like ants are crawling in her fur. They start to whisper to each other, ignoring her question.

Julien speaks up, "Ah, Clo-Clo! I'm sure you have a good explanation for hassling the whole kingdom with your bizarre interrogations, right?"

They all look at her again. Clover rubs the back of her head, guilt hitting home. "I just wanted to find out… who you stayed in Madagascar for specifically, your majesty."

Julien drags his hand down his face and groans. "Cloooverrrrr."

Someone chimes in with an incredulous tone, "Is she serious?"

"Doesn't she see it?" Another complains, "I mean, they're together all the time."

Clover is suddenly furious she hasn't noticed Julien being enamored with someone. She's constantly on guard and vigilant - but in reality she must be losing her touch.

"Holy smokes, she really has no clue," Andy remarks. "Abner, you owe me twenty mangoes."

Pancho claims, "Abner owes _me_ fifty!"

Abner glances around frantically, then he jumps out of the window. The pair that are owed fruit make haste to follow him.

Mort giggles. "Clover and King Julien sitting in a tree, k-i-s -"

Maurice and Ted make a joint effort to shut him up. She gazes into their wide eyes and spots Julien's embarrassed expression. The realization dawns on her like a fossa bite to the buttocks, not that she knows how that actually feels. Clover really has not been as observant as she thinks, and that rubs.

At a loss, Clover stutters, "But I never - is it - are you -?"

Julien shouts, "Everybody be getting out now! That includes you, Mort, Maurice!"

They all leave with mumbling and grumbling trailing in the air. Julien turns away and hugs himself as Clover awkwardly approaches the throne. She gives herself a mental shake. This is King Julien the thirteenth, her king, the lemur of her fever dreams, she can do this.

"King Julien… are you… in love with me?"

"I thought it's beings clear, but I figured you weren't interested. Especially when it seemed like you and Sage…"

"Boy… I'm glad I didn't marry him. I mean he's great, in his own weird way, but my true feelings lie with… someone else."

"Who is dat? I hope they make you da happiest…"

Clover can't handle his pained look accompanying such kind, selfless words. She points at the floor and demands, "Get down here."

"But I -"

"... I'm not asking."

Julien clambers to the floor and nearly falls on his face. He rocks on his heels. Clover grips either side of his jaw and firmly plants a kiss on his mouth. He squeaks and his hands flail before landing on her shoulders. When they part, she rests her cheek on his.

"No more of these misunderstandings. We're best friends, and best friends talk to each other. Got it?"

"Uh - huh," Julien mumbles, "this means we are being boyfriend and girlfriend too?"

"You're damn right, your majesty."

"Now I really am _yours_..." Julien follows his comment with a sly chuckle.

"Oh hush," Clover says, but she gives him a warm smile.


End file.
